Saturday, April 15, 2017

Personal Indeed!

Day 39 Doxology: What an evening to remember even if we race through life trying to fill our days so that we can overlook the event that changed everything.  We try to stay busy so that we don't have to make that event personal, but how can we?  Last night we hosted and participated in the events that lead us to Easter.  Tenebrae, which literally means "Darkness", is an opportunity for clergy and laity to walk through the last three days of Holy Week.  It does not mirror the joyful celebration of regular worship...it has all the feelings of a painful "dark" Good Friday.  Each event is marked with the extinguishing of a candle until all that is left is the Christ Candle only to be taken from the room until Easter Sunrise.

To be honest, for me it was mechanical until I started absorbing all the parts being read then I could feel the weight of Good Friday.  That is what we do in life isn't it?  Before we start school we cover ourselves with a life-proof sealer like we would deck stain or outdoor furniture so that the elements of life bead up and roll off.  It's not until we absorb life that we can realize the personal side that we've been missing.

Tenebrae is very personal, and a very real doxology for the end of Holy Week.  The picture that I've included is picture of the altar after a few candles had been extinguished and other were waiting to be snuffed out.  I think this was taken during the girls singing at which time I could feel God's enormous love being soaked up.  The question is was it the girls singing; was it the Scripture being read; was the visual of slowly Christ light leaving the world?  In short, yes!  It was all of those things, a lot like in life it is the collection of our whole life that makes us feel alive.  It was very personal!

Speaking of life...I have another picture of a personal side of life.  Our church put up their pastors this weekend with a chalet at Guntersville State Park.  They do this every year, and we are humbled! It's received with love and affection for each and every one of them.  Every year they leave a basket of goodies on the table.  This personal touch is not overlooked...someone has to go out of their was to plan, purchase, assemble and deliver this basket of goodies to our gifted chalet, and write a handwritten card...what can be more personal than that?  Here is the tough part...this will be my last Easter with this very personal church family since Shannon and I will be moving to Athens in June.  I'm afraid that it's just starting to sink in for both of us.  Everything is a series of "last"...Last Easter, Last Sunrise Service, Last Easter Eggestravganza...

All I can do is to soak up the personal part of this life....Whether it's a church full of the most loving people I could ever hope to serve, or the sacrifice of a Savior...it's personal a personal touch don't you think?  This is what I do know...it is worth a very mighty "Praise To God!"

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